Roman Forum Tour

Among the best things to see at the Roman Forum is one of the two Roman arches still standing, called the Arch of Titus. The 50-foot-tall monument is situated near the southeast corner of the well-known archaeological site of the Roman Forum along the Via Sacra, the busiest street in the ancient city of Rome. The Arch of Titus, the oldest of the Roman triumphal arches, was built by Titus's successor Domitian after his death, and it is located at the end of the Forum that is furthest from the Capitol. Even at the fall of Rome in the fifth century, the arch managed to hold up quite well despite its advanced age.

Originally known as the Basilica of Maxentius, the Basilica of Constantine is a huge, roofed hall in Rome that was started by the emperor Maxentius and completed by Constantine around AD 313. The Basilica of Constantine, once the greatest building in the Forum, is now reduced to only three grand vaulted arches called Arch of Constantine. However, it is still a commanding monument that towers over its surroundings. With its enormous central rooms surrounded by apses, a basilica served as a courthouse and a location for conducting commerce and other transactions in ancient Rome. This architectural design was later used in Christian churches.

One of the most well-preserved ancient structures in the Forum is the Roman Senate's meeting hall, which was saved from further deterioration when it was turned into a church in the seventh century. The first Curia was created during the reign of the kings and was constantly destroyed by fire and other natural disasters. It was an unadorned, basic structure that could accommodate 300 senators. It still contains the third-century marble floor that was inlaid with mosaics, as well as frieze remnants, and is now occasionally utilised for special exhibitions.

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Another exceptional example of well-preserved things to see at the Roman Forum is the Temple of Romulus. Since it served as the entryway to the Church of Saints Cosma and Damiano, which is still in use today, it is still intact. It is also rather bizarrely dedicated to the son of the emperor Maxentius, who passed away at a young age in the fourth century A.D., rather than the founder of Rome. The Basilica of Santi Cosma e Damiano later transformed the temple, which is why it is in such good condition now.

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The Temple of Vesta, one of the most revered and significant structures in ancient Rome, housed the Sacred Fire. Six priestesses chosen as children from the top Vestal Virgin families in Rome guarded the sacred and eternal flame within. According to the Roman Forum Facts, this eternal fire had significant importance in Rome. The Vestal Virgins' residence stood next to the Vesta Temple and was also constructed by Septimius Severus. The head vestal sculptures in the courtyard have pedestal inscriptions about their virtues. The House of the Vestals was where Aeneas kept the precious Palladium, a figure of Pallas Athene he had brought from Troy.

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The Septimius Severus Arch, which was built in Rome in 203 CE, stands as a monument to the Roman conquests over the Parthians in the latter half of the second century C.E. Even now, despite being severely damaged, the triple triumphal arch in the Forum Romanum survives as a robust and magnificent testament to Roman vanity. It was one of the most lavishly ornamented of its kind. The arch was regarded as the location of Rome's symbolic centre or umbilicus Urbis, according to the Roman Forum Facts.

One of the most significant and esteemed of the Republic's temples, the Temple of Saturn, was constructed around 497 BC. A piece of the Miliarium Aureum, the Golden Milestone, which served as the beginning of the Via Sacra and all Roman consular highways, is located next to the temple. The distances between Rome and the various Empire provinces were written on the stone in gilded figures. A cult statue of Saturn originally stood inside the temple. During the Saturnalia, when his feet were metaphorically released from the woollen ties that bound him for the rest of the year, the statue was the centre of attention. It was periodically rebuilt after being destroyed by fire, the most recent occasion in the fourth century A.D.

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In the 5th century B.C., the ancient Romans built the Temple of Castor and Pollux(Templum Castoris) in the Forum of Rome. The Temple of Castor and Pollux, which honoured Helen of Troy's twin brothers, served as a representation of the Roman city state's military might. According to legend, Castor and Pollux arrived nearby and assisted the Romans in winning the Battle of Lake Regillus (499 BC). The Dioscuri, Castor, and Pollux, who were the subject of several stories, some of Greek and some of Etruscan origin, were honoured for helping in this battle. The three remaining columns are referred to as "The Three Sisters" in popular culture.

The Temple of Antoninus and Faustina was initially built in 141 AD by Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius in memory of his wife, Faustina. It is one of the Roman Forum's best-preserved buildings. A few columns on the side and six from the front still have their Corinthian capitals. In Miranda, the temple was converted into the San Lorenzo church in the 12th century. Still, the columns were detached from the mediaeval construction when Emperor Charles V visited Rome in 1536.